Re: The only effective consumer ploy...

How is boycotting DTV going to help the issue of the programmers (Viacom in this most recent case) demanding tons of increases for DTV to carry their channels. By switching to another provider who carries the channels, all you end up doing is giving more power to the networks to demand price increases, which the carrier (DTV in this case) will just have to turn around and add to your bill.

Your proposal does nothing to help the issue, and in fact, makes it even worse.

It is the first step in sending a message to providers that their content isn't worth what the ask.I'm not suggesting a different provider, I'm saying cold turkey quit, or GREATLY reduce your subscription, hit redbox or netflix or amazon, if you must, but mostly smoke less of what they put in the pipe. It's summer take a walk, spend the 100 buck towards some simple hobby, eat a better meal, have sex with the TV OFF don't let that compulsive habit win.

Just as a cable company will reneogoetate with providers if take rates go down, dish can do the same. But they have no ammo/incintive to do so, until a substanial number of subscribers revolt and directly say "I won't pay that!" they can laugh off a few hundred leaving, laugh nervously if a couple thousand leave, but 10-30-50k would send shockwaves in any high cashflow industry.

Gotcha... I thought you were saying to drop DTV and go with Dish or something...

Unfortunately, most people will complain, but few will ever take any drastic steps to do something about it. It's easier to just complain about the high bills or lack of programming but continue to pay the bill than it is take action and drop the service and do without it.

Nope I just lump dish and DTV as interchangeable/ not noticably different and really ALMOST CATV like except for no locals and an undesirable CONTRACT (yes I understand it's to pay off the dish and install, but it prevents you from easily turning on and off service to protest events like this, which is all the more reason for people to take these contract disputes and push them as breach of contract escape clauses. This is not an act of god or beyond their control, this is about money and should be settled months or years in advance.